Power tool guide with clamping and indicator means



March 28, 1961 J. H. LANE 2,976,899

POWER TOOL GUIDE WITH CLAMPING AND INDICATOR MEANS Filed Feb. 16, 1959 2Sheets-Sheet 1 i v" I" 463 47 4o FIG. 2 v34 25 30 2 027 2 32 3 E 5%;1{39 Ill 381 36 34 25 IN V EN TOR.

POWER TOOL. GUIDE WITH CLAMPING AND INDICATOR MEANS Filed Feb. 16, 1959J. H. LANE March 28, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

EEE SUZEE FII-hill POW-ER TOOL GUIDE WITH CLAlVIPlNG AND INDICATOR MEANSJoseph H. Lane, 745 S. 85th East Ave., Tulsa 12, Okla. Filed Feb. 16,1959, Ser. No. 793,597 6 Claims. (Cl. 143-47) It is the object of thisinvention to provide a convenient portable device to aid in thepositioning of cuts made by a hand held power cutting tool. Many suchtools are equipped with a base plate or shoe, and this base plate orshoe usually has a straight edge parallel to the cutting direction ofthe blade. Some craftsmen frequently make use of this straight edge toguide the tool by sliding it against the edge of a straight board nailedto the work piece. Thisexpedient has the obvious disadvantage of marringthe work piece. This, however, is easily circumvented by clamping theboard to the work piece by O-clamps, but it is very difiicult to placethe board so that the cut will be made in the desired position. Thepresent invention provides a guide bar with a convenient means forclamping same to a work piece and means for indicating the line of cutwith reference to the guide bar while the guide .bar is being clamped inplace. Thus the guidebar may be clamped in the precise position formaking the desired cut. As for example, it is desired to make a outalong a fine pencil line ruled on a board. The guide is positioned onthe board and with the indicator means resting on the pencil line, itmay be clamped to the board. The cut may then be made precisely on theruled line.

A further object of this invention is to provide a guide bar with aprecise indicator means, longitudinally adjustable for the length of thecut to be made.

*And another object of this invention is to provide-a guide bar with ameans for positioning said guide bar for cutting along a given line andmeans for adjusting said positioning means laterally so that the guidebar .may be used with different tools.

Still another object of this invention is to provide dual means for.clamping a relatively long guide bar to a large work piece, thusattaching the bar more securely than could be done by a single clampingmeans.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent fromconsideration of the accompanying drawingsand detailed description.

The invention will appear more clearly from the following detaileddescription when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings,showing by way of example, preferred embodiments of the inventive idea.

One embodiment of this invention is given in Figures 1 through 7. Figure1 is a top view showing the device in indicating position. Figure 2 isanother top view showing the device in relationship to a power tool inposition for making a cut. A portion of this view is cut away as shownby line 2--2 in Figure 4. Figure 3 is a vertical section of a portion ofthe device along line 33 as shown in Figure 1. Figure 4 is a viewshowing the relationship of the device to the power toolas seen from theright hand side. Figure 5 is an end view as seen from the operators endshowing the device in indicating position. Figure 6 is also anoperatorsend view with the device in position for making cut. Figure 7is an end view of the device as seen looking back toward the operator.

Figures 8 through illustrate an alternate embodiment of this inventionwherein Figure 8 is a top view of the entire device, showing a guide barand two sliding elements thereon. Figure 9 is a view of the right handside of element 57 shown in Figure 8. Figure 10 is a sectional view ofthe same element along line 1010 as shown in Figure 8. Figure 11. is aview from the left side of the same element. Figure 12 is a sectionalview along line 12-12 as shown in Figure 9 and Figure 13 is a bottomview along line 13-13 as shown in Figure 9. Figure 14 is the operatorsend view of the same element. Figure 15 is a forward end view of thesame element. No detailed drawing for the other element is given as oneelement is the mirror image of the other.

Referring again to Figures 1 through 7, guide bar 16 havingla guide edge17 is attached to the downwardly extending short bar 18, by screws 19and 20. The short bar 18 has two parallel lateral surfaces 21 and 22-and a forward surface 23 having thespaced hollows 24. The clamp bracket25 has a forward extending arm 26 and a rearward rectangular enclosure27. A contact member 28 is attached to said forward arm 26 by a bolt 29,a nut 30 and a washer31. Washer 32 spaces contact member 28 from arm 26.Enclosure 27 is so shaped as to slide over the short bar 18 so as to fitthe lateral surfaces 21 and 22 closely but to leave space at the ends topermit movement. The lower portion of the forward wall of enclosure. 27is pierced by the threaded hole through which threaded pivot pin 33 isscrewed. The point of pivot pin 33 may engage one of the spaced hollows24. The handled pin '34 screws through the upper rear wall of enclosure27 and presses against the rear surface of the short bar 18.

On top of the guide bar 16 and firmly attached thereto aretwolongitudinally spacedposts 35 and 36 having the blind holes 37 and 38facing each other and acting as journals for the shaft '39.

The indicator bars 40 and 41 having the work piece conforringsurfaces 42and 43 angled to permit contact between the terminal edges 46 and 47 andtop of the work piece, and having the adjacent surfaces 44 and 45disposed at such an angle with respect to the conforming surfaces-42 and43 as to make said terminal edges 46 and following manner:

'47 parallel to the guide edge 17 and inclined so as to make saidterminal edges-46 and 47 clearly visible from above. .The indicator bars40 and 41 pass through the holes in brackets 48 and 49 which areslidable on the shaft 39 but may be held in one position by thumbscrews50 and 51. 'After lateral adjustment, the indicator bars 40 and 41arefixed in position by the set screws 52 and 53.

The invention is adjusted for use with a power hand tool, as forexample, a-particular power hand saw in the The invention is clamped toa piece of waste material. Clamping is accomplished by unscrewing thehandled pin 34 two or three turns, lifting the clamp bracket 25 by thehandled pin 34 so that the contact member 28 makes contact with the workpiece, and the pivot pin 33 engages the highest possible hollow 24 inthe short bar 18. Tightening the handled pin 34,

.causes the clamp bracket 25 to rotate on a horizontal axis around thepivot point made by the contact between the pivot pin'33and one of thespaced hollows 24. The indicator bars 40 and 41 are rotated to out ofway position, as in Figures 2, 4 and 6 and the saw cut 55 is madeholding the sawso that theedge of the saw shoe 54 slides against theedge :17 of .the guide bar 16. After the cut is made, but before theclamp is released, the indicator bars 49 and-41 are swung to the side onwhich the cut was made. The indicator bars 40 and 41 are adjustedlaterally so that the terminal edges 46 and 47 are aligned preciselywith the edge of the fresh saw out. Then the set screws 52 and 53 aretightened securely.

To operate, one or both of the brackets 48 and 49 may he adjustedlongitudinally to conform somewhat with the length of the cut to bemade, in order to insure the greatest accuracy. Then the adjusted sawguide is clamped to the workpiece while the indicator bar tips 46 and47'rest precisely on the line 56 to be cut. The

, 3 indicator bars 46 and 41 are then moved to out of way position. Thecut is made as above by holding the edge of the saw shoe 54 against theappropriate side of the guide bar and sliding the saw. 7

Referring again to Figures 8 through Where an alternate embodiment ofthis invention is shown, theelements 57 and 58 are slidably mounted onthe channel guide bar 59. Each element 57 or 58 includes a sliding bar60 grooved to fit over the flange 61 of the guide bar 59. The plate 62and the short bar 63 are attached in that order below the rearwardportion of the sliding bar 60 by screws 64 and 65. The lip 66 of theplate 62 extends under the guide bar 59 containing the flange 61 ingroove of the slide bar 60. The short bar 63 has two parallel lateralsurfaces 67 and 68 and a forward surface 69 having spaced hollows 70.The clamp bracket 71 has a forward extending arm 72 and a rearwardrectangular enclosure 73. vThe contact member 74 is attached to theforward extending arm 72 by a bolt 75, a nut 76 (Fig. 15) and a washer77. The enclosure 73 is so shaped as to slide over the short bar 63 soas to closely fit the lateral surfaces 67 and 68 but to leave space atthe ends to permit movement. The lower portion of the forward Wall ofthe enclosure 73 is pierced by a threaded hole through which thethreaded pivot pin 79 is screwed. The point of pivot pin 79 may makecontact with one of the spaced hollows 70. The handled pin 80 screwsthrough the threaded hole in the upper extension of the rear wall ofenclosure '73 and presses against the rear surface of the short bar 63.Said threaded hole containing the handled pin 80 is disposed at such anangle with respect to the guide bar 59 as to permit ample room for thehand to operate the handled pin 80 even though the guide bar 59 mightotherwise interfere.

The post 81 is attached to the slide bar 60 by screws 82 and 83. Thepost 81 has a hole 84 which acts as a journal for the shaft 85. The pin87 is driven into the lateral hole in the post 81 to intersect the hole84 and to loosely engage the annular groove 86 in shaft 85. The shaft 85is thus retained in the hole 84 without restricting its rotary movement.The indicator bar 88 having a terminal edge 89 passes through thetransverse hole in the shaft 85 and is held in place by the set screw90.

Operation of this alternate embodiment is similar to the embodimentfirst described but the alternate may be clamped at both sides of thework piece and the indicator bars must be swung individually. Thealternate device is especially intended for use on material of largersize and where a longer cut is required.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

1. A hand held power tool guide including an elongated guide bar havinga straight guide edge, said guide bar being adapted to be held firmly toa Work piece, two longitudinally spaced posts attached to said guidebar, a shaft supported between said posts, a plurality of brackets eachhaving a shaft hole and a separate hole perpendicular to said shafthole, said brackets being slidably fitted to said shaft by means of saidshaft holes, the indicator bars each having a portion positioned andshaped to make contact with the work piece to indicate a line parallelto and at a measured distance from said guide edge, said indicator barsbeing slidably fitted in said separate holes, a means for securing saidindicator bars in said separate holes, whereby said indicator bars maybe adjusted laterally to correspond with the cut made by the :power toolwhen a portion of said power tool is slid against said guide edge.

2. A hand held power tool guide including an elongated guide bar havinga straight guide edge, said guide bar being adapted to be held firmly toa work piece, two longitudinally spaced posts attached to said guidebar, a shaft supported between said posts, indicator bars each having aportion positioned and shaped to make contact with the work piece toindicate a line parallel to and at a measured distance from said guideedge, a bracket means for attaching said indicator bars to said shaft, ameans on said brackets for lateral adjustment of said indicator barswith respect to said guide edge whereby said indicator bars may beadjusted laterally to correspond with a cut made by a power tool when aportion of said power tool is slid against said guide edge.

3. An aid for positioning cuts made by a power hand saw or the like,including an elongated bar having a straight guide edge, said guide barbeing adapted to be held firmly to a work piece, two longitudinallyspaced bearing posts attached to said guide bar, a shaft rotatablysupported between said bearing posts, a plurality of brackets beingcharacterized by a shaft hole and a separate hole perpendicular to saidshaft hole and threaded holes entering said shaft hole and said separatehole, said shaft passing through said shaft hole, an indicator bar foreach of said brackets having an end portion adapted to make contact withthe surface of the work piece and to indicate a straight line thereon,said indicator bar passing through said separate hole, set screws insaid threaded holes whereby said indicator bars may be held firmly tosaid shaft after being adjusted longitudinally for the Work piece andlaterally for a particular power hand tool.

4. A hand held power tool guide including an elon gated guide bar havinga straight guide edge, a means for clamping said guide bar to a workpiece, two longitudinally spaced bearing posts attached to said guidebar, a shaft supported between said bearing posts, a plurality ofbrackets each having a shaft hole and a separate hole perpendicular tosaid shaft hole, said brackets being slidably fitted to said shaft bymeans of said shaft holes, a plurality of indicator bars each having aportion positioned and shaped to make contact with the work piece toindicate a line parallel to and at a measured distance from said guideedge, said indicator bars being slidably fitted in said separate holes,a means for securing said indicator bars in said separate holes, wherebysaid indicator bars may be adjusted laterally to correspond with a cutmade by a power tool when a portion of said power tool is guided alongsaid guide edge.

5. An aid for positioning cuts made by a power hand saw or the likeincluding, an elongated bar having a straight guide edge, two oppositelydisposed independent clamping means attached to said guide bar, at leastone said clamping means being slidable on said guide bar, a shaftjournally connected to each said clamping means, an indicator having aportion positioned and shaped to make contact with the work piece and toindicate position of a line thereon, and means for adjustable attachmentof said indicator to said shaft.

6. An aid for positioning cuts made by a power hand tool comprising, anelongated bar having a straight guide edge, an element slidably attachedto said guide bar, a clamping mechanism on said element, an indicatorbar having a reference to indicate the position of a line at a measureddistance from said guide edge, a shaft journally attached to saidelement, said indicator bar being slidable through a hole in said shaft,means on said shaft for securing said indicator bar in said hole.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,911,045 Tinnen May 23, 1933 2,655,956 Taylor Oct. 20, 1953 2,773,523Hopla Dec. 11, 1956 2,823,709 Konieczka Feb. 18, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS11,537 Germany Nov. 5, 1880 28,657 Great Britain Dec. 15, 1896 934,789Germany Nov. 3, 1955

